Earthquake rocks central Italy

By Baris Seckin

ROME

A magnitude-6.5 earthquake shook Italy's central region Sunday, according to the Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology.

The earthquake struck at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers (six miles) in Norcia – a town in Perugia, central Italy – at 7.40 a.m. local time (0440GMT). It was followed by several aftershocks.

The earthquake was strongly felt in Rome and Florence.

Following the quake, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi told an emergency news conference that there was "no loss of human life".

Renzi promised to rebuild damaged buildings and said: "We will do what is necessary to rebuild. Italy knows how to do that".

He also called on people to stand with the earthquake victims.

According to sources from Italian Civil Protection, there were about 10 injured people, including one in serious condition.

The Italian fire department announced on Twitter that six injured people were taken out from debris.

Italian channel Rai News 24 said several buildings had been damaged by the quake.

This August, central Italy was struck by an earthquake which took nearly 300 lives.

The United States Geological Survey, or USGS, established the magnitude of Sunday’s quake at 6.6.